Online documents

Reform must include women: Advisory Council [CA-NB]

Author:

CBC&em;New Brunswick

Publication Date:

13 Apr 2004

Source:

CBC&em;New Brunswick

Availability

See text below.

EXCERPTS

A women's group in New Brunswick is trying to get more people involved in changing the province's electoral system. The New Brunswick Advisory Council on the Status of Women says the way things are set up now, women's issues are often ignored.

It says improvements will come only after the current system is overhauled and it is encouraging women to engage in the political discussion at a series of meetings it has planned across the province.

Council chair Mary Lou Stirling says women don't have much of a chance to talk about issues affecting women in the legislature because only about 13 per cent of New Brunswick MLAs are female.

The New Brunswick government will soon look at plans to transform the electoral system. Stirling said meetings her group is holding across the province will give women a chance to be part of that transformation.

Business woman Corinne Godbout took part in the advisory council's first meeting in Moncton. She agrees some kind of change is needed because too many issues of importance to women, such as child care and other family policies, are virtually ignored.

New Brunswick's Commission on Legislative Democracy must report to the provincial government by end of 2004.